Cablevision Shutters U.S. Voom Service

BETHPAGE, December 22:
Cablevision Systems Corp. is shuttering its Voom HD Networks high-definition
channels business in the U.S., in large part due to losing carriage on the DISH
Network satellite platform earlier this year.

This summer, Voom,
operated by Rainbow Media Holdings, was dropped from DISH, with the satellite
platform arguing that the company had not met an investment requirement
stipulated in the carriage contract. Cablevision responded with a $1 billion
lawsuit that is still pending. Without DISH, Voom, a 15-channel HD portfolio,
is only available in the U.S. on Cablevision. Rainbow will reportedly continue
to distribute the package internationally.

—By Mansha Daswani